a girl on a journey to sustainable style

Who Knew? The True Cost

So it has been a lil bit since I blogged….as in almost 3 months! eek. But I will say in those three months, I completed a fit-life program, committed to a passion project, completed phase one of “operation eco-friendly fashion line”, made a ton of samples (well a ton for me), started sourcing fabric, worked 50+ hours a week for the day job, watched The True Cost joined Fashion Revolution (alright that just involved a few mouse clicks), got discouraged, got inspired again…haha- it happens right?…I mean the list could go on but i’ll stop there- I think you catch my drift…

Lets back up to The True Cost. Have you seen this documentary? It was released in 2015 but of course I just discovered it on Netflix a few months ago. You can also download it at the link above for $9.99. It is sooo worth it! I LOVE learning (hand raise if you are a docu geek like me)! This film highlights the lesser know or rather unacknowledged world of clothing production and more specifically how this idea of Fast Fashion has impacted not only the industry but the social, economic and environmental impact it has on our planet and the people who are actually making the garments.

Some reports say the fashion industry is second only to oil as the most polluting industry in the world! Other reports claim its more like 4 or 5 on the list but still…..woah! Did you realize that? I never thought about the “Fast Fashion” model (click the link to read a lil more about what this actually means) being so detrimental to our planet and completely obliterating the quality of life for so many hard working human beings. Being in the fashion industry via retail, wholesale, buying, design, managing – no matter what company I am at we always have the same issues with not having the right product at the right time and always wishing we could satisfy customers quicker with shortening the timeline from concept to creation. But does that mean these retailers have to pressure factories into cheaper business where the average factory worker’s wage is already less than $3.00 a day? I get it, its a competition and everyone obviously needs to be profitable- but at what cost? There has to be a better way right?

Not only are humans suffering at lousy run factories because lets face it, big box companies tend to care more about profit than anything else, but when the consumer buys so much more, so much more is needed to keep up with demand…not just labor but materials too. Ever wonder how plants are turned into fabric? Or how that crimson color is just the perfect shade of red? It is chemicals loves and no matter how you swing it chemicals are in NO way earth friendly or “healthy” but are necessary in the manufacturing phase.

YES there are companies out there recycling scrap fabric, turning plastic bottles into t-shirts, only using 100% organic breeding methods, up cycling disposed clothes, reinventing fibers BUT there is NO dying process or sustainable textile that is 100% eco-friendly. Of course it is SOOO much better to use organic fibers and recycle what otherwise would sit in a landfill for hundreds of years but that plastic isn’t getting turned into fabric by just looking at it. A little discouraging?…maybe, but there are a lot of people and companies out there that are continuing to make strides everyday to improve the current landscape of the Fashion Industry…It is exciting to see where the future will lead!

Who would’t LOVE to discover a completely sustainable material that looks great, feels great, moves great, smells great and of course is cost effective?? Until then, by far the best way to be fashionably environmentally conscious is to re-use, re-wear, re-style what you already have in your closet, in other words – stop buying so much!…ok yes this is coming from a girl with entirely too many clothes (but I do hang onto things for a while), who did fail a no buying any clothing for a year challenge but with everything I have been learning lately, I am feeling so refreshed and inspired to take another go at that mission while working to create my very own Eco-Friendly fashion line. I mean do what you can right?

PS. Go watch the The True Cost. Knowledge is power 🙂

until next time

xoxo

Sami

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Published by Sami from Miami

Hi, I am Samantha, my friends call me Sami and I am just a 30 something girl living the dream in beautiful hot and humid Miami, FL…it’s a state of mind right?
I have always been working in the fashion world with the last 5 years in the corporate fashion world. However I have been feeling a little bored lately and thought I should change that…Hello SamifromMiami.com. I am still thinking about what I want to do when I grow up (no I am not a child in 30 year old body) just saying I still have a lot of life to live and I want to make it great! I love art and creativity, fashion, textiles and photography. I LOVE to travel and experience new cultures and I REALLY LOVE inspiration and hearing how others reached and accomplished their goals and what is next…momentum is key for me!
So I decided to start this blog to basically give me something fun to look forward. I decided to document my journey after I committed to challenging myself to NOT purchase ANY clothes for an entire year! Instead I’ll style my current closet (lord knows I have enough) into as many looks as possible and also design, recreate and sew myself any “must haves” I just can not live with out. This will be a great focus for me and hopefully help me discover where I want to land in the industry!
Hopefully my journey will inspire others to find their passion as I hope to do for my self! It is all just meant to be a fun, lighthearted and an easy read with vibrant colors ☺
CHEERS!
View all posts by Sami from Miami